Ops and Tactics
Ops and Tactics is a Modern homebrew tabletop RPG, set between sometime after the cold war, and the near future. It has no definitive fluff, and the users of the game are often encouraged to create their own in its absence.
Ops and Tactics also has a number of major and minor splatbooks, the most major which are Modern Magika and Advanced Arms
It is at the moment finished in 5e Edition, 1.03.
Basics
Ops and Tactics uses a custom, heavily modified d20-like system that has provisions for bleed damage, specific shot placement, and alternate modes of fire for firearms, as well as a point based Combat System.
The game also focuses on the customization and variety of weapons, allowing a player to customize their weapons in a number of ways, from trivial (such as adding finishes and colors to the weapon), to useful (scopes, sights, and weapon modifications). The game also features a massive list choice of listed weapons in a variety of calibers, instead of the normal generic weapon choices that rely on the weapon's "Size" or "Type", to determine damage and range.
The core rulebook is written with little fluff actually injected into the gameplay, allowing for a multitude of settings to be used without modifications to the core rules.
2nd Edition brings more weapons, more feats, and more attacks into the possibilities. Two of the most drastic changes is how grenades work and the addition of new attack possibilities and feats.
3rd Edition brings in a new combat system that takes it's cues from Jagged Alliance, introducing a point based combat system.
4th Edition further expounds on the point based combat system, focusing on specialization through feats, expounding on bows as weapons, and introduced the first split to Armory. Other smaller rule changes have been added in order to make the game run smoother.
Weapons
Ops and Tactics shines on weapon selection and modularity. The Melee weapons are broken up into three and a half different categories: Simple, Archaic, Exotic and Improvised.
Simple weapons are weapons that people in the modern world are inherently able to use, such as bats, hammers, stun guns, and shields.
Archaic weapons are weapons of old, usually not encountered in a modern setting, such as swords, staves, axes, and bayonets.
Exotic weapons are weapons that require particular special training to even begin to grasp how to use, such as a chainsaw, nunchaku, or a flail.
Improvised weapons are at a half category, because they fall under all of the aforementioned categories. However, they are items picked up and used as one would a normal weapon. For example, using a lead pipe instead of a baseball bat.
All of the mentioned weapons can have upgrades installed on them, that make them even more effective in combat.
The Ranged weapons themselves are broken up into two categories: Firearms and Non-Ballistic weapons.
Firearms encompass all types, from the tiny holdout handguns all the way to anti-materiel rifles and rocket launchers.
Non-ballistic weapons include bows, crossbows, throwing knives, bricks, and flamethrowers.
All of the ranged weapons can be upgraded at the choice of the user, with a multitude of upgrades that can be stylized for the task at hand.
Curio and Relic Update
Curio and Relic was a update to the Ops and Tactics Line that introduces pre-Cold war firearms, allowing players to keep the Ops and Tactics flair in settings such as the Wild West, the World Wars, or even the American Civil war.
It is currently in 2nd Edition, but has been blended into the Armory Splatbook
Third Edition
Third edition is a complete rewrite of the system using the wounds system, as well as a bunch of other upgrades and updates.
This version is the version that introduced the Combat Point system, it is currently obsolete.
Fourth Edition
Fourth Edition is a another complete overhaul of the combat system, as well as a few major upgrades involving bows, and crossbows.
This was the Final Core Rulebook version, and is the springboard that will launch the various planned splatbooks.
There are a number of small updates that exist for 4th edition, called Supply Drops that add equipment and variant rules for Ops and tactics
Fifth Edition
Fifth Edition is a major update in the Ops and Tactics game system, removing the D20 from the primary dice component and replacing it with 3d6 instead.
Some of the supply drops that were generated during 4th edition have been blended into the various splat books they fit into, and as such has made the game much less book heavy.
Small tweaks, fixes, feat changes, and rule additions have also been added.
Armory
Ops and Tactics: Armory is a splatbook for 4th edition and 5th Edition, that adds hundreds of firearms to be used in conjunction with 4e. It also adds revised gunsmithing rules, and the ability for one to create their own AR 15, for any situation.
Modern Magika
Ops and Tactics: Modern Magika is a splatbook for 4th edition and 5th Edition, that introduces a magic system, and three fantasy races:Orcs, Elves, and Dwarves, into the Ops and Tactics Universe.
The Magic system introduces a new skill: Spellschools, that are used to cast spells, write new spells, and identify spells. The spellsystem takes it's design somewhat from the Elder Scrolls: Morrowind Design element, when creating spells, as there are no set spells, rather the spells are built by the mage themselves, using perameters.
Advanced Arms
Ops and Tactics: Advanced Arms is a splatbook for 4th edition and 5th Edition, that introduces new weapons, such as plasarms and lasarms, and two additional races: The Polarans and the Kandari, into the Ops and Tactics Universe.
Current Edition
- Current Website: http://www.opsandtactics.com/
- Current Development blog: http://opsandtactics.blogspot.com/
The development blog and the website will always have the most current versions of everything.